Town Drowned By Dam Returns From the Dead

November 2, 2017—A ghost town in northern Spain has returned from beneath the waters of a reservoir. Mansilla de la Sierra, in the mountainous La Rioja province, was once home to 600 people. But by 1960, the few who remained were forced out by the construction of a large reservoir. In the fall, the water levels in the artificial lake drop every year, allowing a view of at least the tops of the buildings from the old town. Last year's low water levels revealed more parts of the town, and this year's worsening drought has all but dried out the valley. The only remaining water is that of the original riverbed. For a few former inhabitants, it's a chance to revisit what remains of their old hometown—a happy side effect amid a catastrophic drought. READ: Ruins of Spanish Town Emerge After Decades Underwater

Town Drowned By Dam Returns From the Dead

November 2, 2017—A ghost town in northern Spain has returned from beneath the waters of a reservoir. Mansilla de la Sierra, in the mountainous La Rioja province, was once home to 600 people. But by 1960, the few who remained were forced out by the construction of a large reservoir. In the fall, the water levels in the artificial lake drop every year, allowing a view of at least the tops of the buildings from the old town. Last year's low water levels revealed more parts of the town, and this year's worsening drought has all but dried out the valley. The only remaining water is that of the original riverbed. For a few former inhabitants, it's a chance to revisit what remains of their old hometown—a happy side effect amid a catastrophic drought. READ: Ruins of Spanish Town Emerge After Decades Underwater